US Championship: So, Robson and Caruana with 2.0/2

by Johannes Fischer
4/16/2016 – After two rounds three players lead the US Championship 2016 with 2.0/2: Fabiano Caruana, who won convincingly against Sam Shankland, Wesley So, who won less convincingly against Akshat Chandra, and Ray Robson, who profited from Alexander Onishuk's errors. Hikaru Nakamura drew against Gata Kamsky. In the Women's tournament Tatev Abrahamyan and Carissa Yip keep a perfect score.
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Fabiano Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura and Wesley So are clear favorites to win the US Championship 2016. After all, Caruana is the world's number three (2795), Nakamura is the world's number five (2787), and Wesley So is currently number ten in the world. With a rating of 2773 So is also 95 points ahead of Gata Kamsky (2678), number four in the US and number 63 in the world. All three favorites started well into the tournament. Caruana and So with two wins and Nakamura with a convincing win against Alex Lenderman in the first round and an easy draw with Black against Gata Kamsky in round two.

Round two begins

Kamsky and Nakamura repeated the line of the game they had played in the US Championship 2015 against each other. One year ago they drew after a long and protracted fight, this year Nakamura accepted Kamsky's proposal of early peace talks by quickly liquidating into a very drawn position.

 
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1.d4 Nf6 2.Bf4 e6 3.e3 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nd2 d5 6.Ngf3 Bd6 7.Bg3 0-0 8.Bd3 b6 9.e4 Be7
10.Ne5 Offering exchanges and early peace talks. One year ago Kamsky was more adventurous but the result was the same: 10.e5 Nh5 11.0-0 Bd7 12.Re1 Rc8 13.a3 Nxg3 14.hxg3 f5 15.dxc5 bxc5 16.b4 g5 17.Nh2 d4 18.b5 dxc3 19.bxc6 cxd2 20.Re2 Bxc6 21.Rxd2 Bd5 22.g4 c4 23.Bc2 f4 24.Qe2 Qa5 25.Nf3 Rcd8 26.Rdd1 Rd7 27.a4 Rfd8 28.Rab1 a6 29.Rdc1 Ba3 30.Rd1 h6 31.Kh2 Bf8 32.Rdc1 Qc5 33.Kg1 Qc6 34.Rd1 Bg7 35.Nd4 Qc7 36.Nf3 Rb8 37.Rxb8+ Qxb8 38.Be4 Qc8 39.Bc2 Qc6 40.Nd4 Qc7 41.Nf3 Rd8 42.Bb1 Rb8 43.Bc2 a5 44.Rc1 Qb7 45.Qd1 Qa8 46.Qe2 Rb4 47.Rd1 Qc6 48.Nd4 Qc7 49.Re1 Qb7 50.Rd1 Bf8 51.Nb5 Bxg2 52.Rd8 Bh1 53.Qf1 Rb2 54.Nd6 Qd5 55.Nf7 Rxc2 56.Rxd5 Bxd5 57.Qb1 Kxf7 58.Qxc2 Kg7 59.Qd2 Bb4 60.Qd4 c3 1/2-1/2 (60) Kamsky,G (2683) -Nakamura,H (2798) Saint Louis 2015 10...Nxe5 11.dxe5 Nxe4 12.Nxe4 dxe4 13.Bxe4 Qxd1+ 14.Rxd1 Rb8 15.Ke2 Ba6+ 16.Ke3 Rfd8 17.f4 Rxd1 18.Rxd1 Rd8 Former World Champion Vishy Anand once coined an expression to describe the strategy both sides pursue in this game: "hoovering" the board. 19.Rxd8+ Bxd8 20.Bf2 h5 21.b3 Bb5 22.c4 Bd7 23.h3 g6 24.g4 hxg4 25.hxg4 Kg7 26.g5 Be7 27.Kd3 Kf8 28.a4 a5 29.Be3 Ke8 30.Bf2 Kd8 ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Kamsky,G2678Nakamura,H2787½–½2016D02ch-USA 20162.2

Gata Kamsky vs  Hikaru Nakamura, energetic...

... and thoughtful

Fabiano Caruana had no objection to play a sharp line of the French against Sam Shankland. This led to an interesting fight and brought Caruana his second win.

 
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1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 Ne7 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 c5 7.Qg4 0-0 8.Bd3 Nbc6 9.Qh5 Ng6 10.Nh3 Qc7 11.Be3 c4 12.Bxg6 fxg6 13.Qg4 Qf7N A new move. 13...Rf5 14.Nf4 Qf7 15.h4 Ne7 16.h5 gxh5 17.Nxh5 Qg6 18.Qxg6 ½-½ (18) Joachim,S (2380)-Libeau,R (2460) Gladenbach 1996 led to a quick draw. 14.Nf4 Ne7 15.h4 h6 16.Qe2 Bd7 17.g4 b5 18.f3 a5 19.Kf2 Rab8 20.Kg3 Be8 21.Bd2 b4 22.axb4 axb4 23.Rhb1 Nc6 24.Qe3
24...b3?! Allowing White's bishop to reenter the game with a vengeance. 25.Bc1 Bd7 26.Ba3 bxc2 27.Rc1 Rfc8 28.Rxc2 Ra8 29.Rca2 Be8 30.Bd6 Rxa2 31.Rxa2 Qd7 32.Qc1 Bf7 33.Qb1 Qe8 34.Qb7 Kh7 35.Ra6 Kg8 36.Bc7 Ne7 37.Bd6 Nc6 38.Kg2 Kh7 39.Kh3 Kg8 40.Kg3 Kh7 41.Nh3 Kg8 42.g5 h5 43.Nf4 Kh7 44.Ng2 Bg8 45.Ne3 Bf7 46.Nc2 Bg8 47.Na3 Bf7 48.Kf2 Bg8 49.Ke3 Bf7 50.Kd2 Bg8 51.Kc2 Bf7 52.Kc1 Kg8 53.Nb5 Ne7 54.Na7 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Caruana,F2795Shankland,S26561–02016C18ch-USA 20162.1

2.0/2: another good start for Fabiano Caruana in St. Louis

Wesley So started the game convincingly and got a better position but then needed a bit (or a lot) of luck to win:

 
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1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.h4 h5 5.c4 e6 6.Nc3 Ne7 7.Nge2 Nd7 8.Ng3 Bg6 9.cxd5 Nxd5 10.Be2 Qa5 11.Bd2 Nb4N A new move. 11...0-0-0 12.0-0 Be7 13.Nce4 Qc7 14.Ng5 Bxg5 15.Bxg5 f6 16.exf6 gxf6 17.Bd2 Nf4 18.Re1 Nb6 19.Qb3 e5 20.Bxf4 exf4 21.Ne4 Rxd4 22.Bf3 Bxe4 23.Bxe4 Kb8 24.Bf3 Nc4 25.Qc3 Rhd8 26.Rad1 Rxd1 27.Rxd1 Ne5 28.Rxd8+ Qxd8 29.Bxh5 Qh8 30.Qd2 Kc8 31.Bd1 Qxh4 32.Qd6 Qg5 33.Qe6+ Kc7 34.Qe7+ Nd7 35.Qh7 Kd6 36.b4 Qe5 37.Qd3+ Qd5 38.Qe2 Ne5 39.a4 a6 40.Qe1 Qd3 41.Be2 Qc2 42.Bf1 f3 43.Qa1 Qd2 44.b5 c5 45.Qa3 fxg2 46.Bxg2 Nd3 47.Bxb7 Qxf2+ 48.Kh1 Qg3 0-1 (48) Vachier Lagrave,M (2722) -Vitiugov,N (2712) Paris/St Petersburg 2013 12.0-0 Qb6 13.Bg5 Nc2 14.Rc1 Nxd4
15.Bxh5?! The engines recommend 15.Bc4 Nf5 16.Nxf5 Bxf5 17.Re1 Qxb2 18.Ne4 Bxe4 19.Rxe4 White has only two pawns for the piece but the exposed position of Black's king offers him compensation. 15...Bxh5 16.Nxh5 Nxe5 17.Re1 Nef3+ 18.gxf3 Rxh5
Now Black's a solid pawn up. He only has to bring his king to safety. 19.f4 g6 20.Na4 Qb4 21.Re4 Bg7 22.Nc5 Qxb2 23.Rc4
23...Rxg5+! This exchange sacrifice allows Black's king to castle queenside and to escape to safety. With two pawns for the exchange, an exposed white king and active pieces Black is clearly better. 24.fxg5 0-0-0 25.Nb3 Nxb3 26.Qxb3 Qa1+ 27.Kg2 Rd1 28.Qc2 Kd8? Up to here So played strong and convincingly but now he loses the thread. 28...Be5 would have kept the advantage. 29.Kf3 Ke8 30.Rb4 Rc1 31.Qe2 b5 32.Rb3 Rh1??
Overlooking a tactical shot for White. After 32...Kf8 the engines evaluate the position as equal. 33.Kg4?? White returns the favor. After 33.Rxe6+! fxe6 34.Qxe6+ Kf8 After 34...Kd8 White wins with 35.Qd6+ Kc8 36.Qxc6+ Kd8 37.Qd6+ Kc8 38.Qc5+ Kd8 39.Rd3+ 35.Rd3 White has a crushing attack, e.g. Bd4 36.Qd6+ Kg8 37.Qxg6+ Kf8 38.Qd6+ Ke8 39.Qxc6+ Ke7 40.Qe4+ Kf8 41.Rxd4 White is winning. 33...Kf8 Black eliminates the danger and is better again. 34.Rg3 Kg8 35.Ree3 Qd4+ 36.Re4 f5+ 37.gxf6 Qxf6 38.f4 Qxh4+ 39.Kf3 Rh2 40.Qd3 Qh5+ 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Chandra,A2477So,W27730–12016B12ch-USA 20162.3

Alexander Onishuk suffered a bitter defeat against Ray Robson:

 
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1.Nf3 Nf6 2.d4 e6 3.Bf4 d5 4.e3 c5 5.c3 Nc6 6.Nbd2 Bd6 7.Bg3 Qe7 8.Ne5 Bxe5 9.dxe5 Nd7 10.Bb5 a6 11.Bxc6 bxc6 12.Qa4 Bb7 13.Bh4 f6 14.exf6 gxf6 15.c4 Rg8 16.0-0 h5 17.Qd1 Rg4 18.Bg3 Qh7 19.Rc1 a5 20.Re1
20...Ba6? Black seems oblivious to the dangers threatening him. After 20...e5 his position is still shaky but Black is not lost. 21.cxd5 cxd5 22.e4 d4 23.Qa4 With the simple but strong threat to take on a5. Bb7? A complete black-out. Though e.g. 23...Qe7 24.Qc6 Ra7 25.Bd6 Bb5 26.Bxe7 Bxc6 27.Bxc5+- also leads to a won position for White. 24.Qb3 Targeting e6 and b7. Black did not want to continue the game and resigned. 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Robson,R2663Onischuk,A26641–02016D02ch-USA 20162.4

Results of round two:

1 GM Akobian, Varuzhan 0.0 2615 GM Xiong, Jeffery 0.5 2618 ½-½
2 GM Robson, Ray 1.0 2663 GM Onischuk, Alexander 0.5 2664 1-0
3 GM Lenderman, Aleksandr 0.0 2618 GM Shabalov, Alexander 0.0 2528 ½-½
4 GM Kamsky, Gata 0.0 2678 GM Nakamura, Hikaru 1.0 2787 ½-½
5 IM Chandra, Akshat 0.0 2477 GM So, Wesley 1.0 2773 0-1
6 GM Caruana, Fabiano 1.0 2795 GM Shankland, Samuel L 1.0 2656 1-0

Standings after round two:

Games:

 
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1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bc4 Bg4 5.f3 Bf5 6.Nc3 Nbd7 7.g4 Nb6 8.b3 Bc8 9.Bb2 Nfxd5 10.Nxd5 Nxd5 11.Qe2 e6 12.0-0-0 b6 13.Nh3 Bb7 14.f4 Bd6 15.f5 Qe7 16.Bxg7 Rg8 17.Bb2 0-0-0 18.Rhf1 Rde8 19.f6 Qf8 20.g5 h6 21.Rg1 hxg5 22.Nxg5 Rh8 23.h3 Rh6 24.Rdf1 a5 25.Kb1 Kb8 26.Rg4 Rd8 27.h4 Ka7 28.Be5 Rd7 29.Bb5 Rd8 30.Bxd6 cxd6 31.Bc4 Nc7 32.Nxf7 Qxf7 33.Rg7 Qf8 34.Rxc7 Rxf6 35.Rxf6 Qxf6 36.Qxe6 Qxh4 37.Bd5 Rb8 38.Qf7 Qe1+ 39.Kb2 Qe5+ 40.c3 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Caruana,F2795Akobian,V26151–02016B01ch-USA 20161.1
Nakamura,H2787Lenderman,A26181–02016D43ch-USA 20161.2
So,W2773Kamsky,G26781–02016C95ch-USA 20161.3
Shankland,S2656Chandra,A24771–02016C07ch-USA 20161.4
Onischuk,A2664Xiong,J2618½–½2016D20ch-USA 20161.5
Shabalov,A2528Robson,R26630–12016D43ch-USA 20161.6
Caruana,F2795Shankland,S26561–02016C19ch-USA 20162.1
Kamsky,G2678Nakamura,H2787½–½2016A45ch-USA 20162.2
Chandra,A2477So,W27730–12016B12ch-USA 20162.3
Robson,R2663Onischuk,A26641–02016A46ch-USA 20162.4
Akobian,V2615Xiong,J2618½–½2016D83ch-USA 20162.5
Lenderman,A2618Shabalov,A2528½–½2016D45ch-USA 20162.6

Women's tournament

In the women's tournament the favorites Irina Krush and Anna Zatonskih did not have such a smooth start. Irina Krush drew her first game and won her second, Anna Zatonskih drew both games.

Results of round two

1 WIM Bykovtsev, Agata 0.0 2219 FM Melekhina, Alisa 0.5 2205 1-0
2 GM Krush, Irina 0.5 2465 WGM Foisor, Sabina-Francesca 0.5 2258 1-0
3 IM Zatonskih, Anna 0.5 2470 WGM Nemcova, Katerina 0.5 2367 ½-½
4 FM Gorti, Akshita 0.0 2184 IM Paikidze, Nazi 0.5 2346 0-1
5 WIM Eswaran, Ashritha 0.5 2225 Yip, Carissa 1.0 2164 0-1
6 WGM Abrahamyan, Tatev 1.0 2342 WFM Yu, Jennifer R 0.5 2157 1-0

Standings:

Games:

 
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1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.g3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Be7 6.Bg2 0-0 7.0-0 c6 8.Qc2 b6 9.b3 Ne4 10.Bf4 Bb7 11.Ne5 f6 12.Nd3 Na6 13.Nd2 f5 14.Be5 Nb4 15.Nxb4 Bxb4 16.Nxe4 fxe4 17.f3 exf3 18.exf3 Qe7 19.c5 bxc5 20.a3 Ba5 21.dxc5 Ba6 22.Rf2 Rad8 23.Qb2 Bc7 24.Bxc7 Qxc7 25.Re1 Rfe8 26.f4 d4 27.Re5 d3 28.Rd2 Rb8 29.Qc3 Qb7 30.b4 Qd7 31.Be4 Rbd8 32.Kg2 Re7 33.Rh5 g6 34.Re5 Bb5 35.h4 Qd4 36.Qxd4 Rxd4 37.Kf2 a5 38.bxa5 Kf7 39.h5 Ra7 40.Ke3 Ra4 41.hxg6+ hxg6 42.Rg5 R4xa5 43.Rxg6 Rxa3 44.Rh6 R7a4 45.Rh7+ Kg8 46.Rd7 Rc4 47.R2xd3 Rxd3+ 48.Bxd3 Rc3 49.Ke4 Bxd3+ 50.Rxd3 Rxc5 51.Rd7 Kf8 52.g4 Rd5 53.Rc7 Rc5 54.Kd4 Rd5+ 55.Ke3 Rc5 56.Ke4 Ke8 57.g5 Kf8 58.g6 Rf5 59.Rxc6 Rf6 60.Ke5 Rf5+ 61.Ke4 Rf6 62.Ke5 Rf5+ 63.Kxe6 Rxf4 64.Rc7 Kg8 65.Ke5 Rf1 ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Paikidze,N2346Zatonskih,A2470½–½2016D02ch-USA w 20161.1
Nemcova,K2367Krush,I2465½–½2016B47ch-USA w 20161.2
Abrahamyan,T2342Bykovtsev,A22191–02016B90ch-USA w 20161.3
Foisor,S2258Melekhina,A2205½–½2016B39ch-USA w 20161.4
Yu,J2157Eswaran,A2225½–½2016A18ch-USA w 20161.5
Yip,C2164Gorti,A21841–02016C04ch-USA w 20161.6
Abrahamyan,T2342Yu,J21571–02016B90ch-USA w 20162.1
Eswaran,A2225Yip,C21640–12016B92ch-USA w 20162.2
Zatonskih,A2470Nemcova,K2367½–½2016E10ch-USA w 20162.3
Krush,I2465Foisor,S22581–02016A07ch-USA w 20162.4
Gorti,A2184Paikidze,N23460–12016D45ch-USA w 20162.5
Bykovtsev,A2219Melekhina,A22051–02016B27ch-USA w 20162.6

All's well...

Spring helps to enjoy chess even more...

Pictures: Lennart Ootes for the tournament page

Tournament page...

Johannes Fischer was born in 1963 in Hamburg and studied English and German literature in Frankfurt. He now lives as a writer and translator in Nürnberg. He is a FIDE-Master and regularly writes for KARL, a German chess magazine focusing on the links between culture and chess. On his own blog he regularly publishes notes on "Film, Literature and Chess".

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Rfield Rfield 4/17/2016 04:12
Kamsky a caliber of world champion challenger couldn't crack So's playing style. He won the previous World Cup then one of the candidates challenger to Anand. Since So switches federation in favor of the US some three years back the task for Kamsky has been uphill. In 2015 US Championship Kamsky has given up the fight against So. There is a psychological issue haunting Kamsky when playing So?

Carjuana and NK are world class players ahead of the other entrants. Kamsky has passed its peak. Shankland to reach 2nd or 3rd spot is an incredible feat for him. Akobian should not rely on technicalities to score more. So's reputation that he still maintains no. 10 in the world rating.
nokia x nokia x 4/17/2016 03:01
please woman picture too....
Nostalgiac1972 Nostalgiac1972 4/16/2016 07:00
Hope Fabi is gonna put up a great fight and get the title!
firestorm firestorm 4/16/2016 03:19
I suspect a typo- it is of course "hoovering" the pieces off the board, but that term was around before Anand- don't think he coined it.
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